Telegraph instrument



T. J. DUNN.

TELEGRAPH INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED MAR,22| 1911.

Patented Apr. 27, 1920.

. operation. I

THOMAS J. DUNN, 0F JERSEY 'CITY, -1\TEW TELEGRAPH INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Lttersfllatent.

Patented Apr. 27, 1920.

Application filed March .22, 1917. Serial No. 158,616.

To all 207mm it may concern:

Be it known'that I, THOMAS J. DUNN, a citizen of United States, residingat Jersey City, county of Hudson, and State of 'New Jersey, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Telegraph Instruments, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to telegraphic instruments, and particularly tosending devices for transmitting messages according to the Morse codewherein the contacts for sending dots are accomplished by a vibratoryelement controlled by the operator.

The main object of the invention is to provide a compact instrumentoccupying a small amount of space, but'wherein'the vibrator shallhave'certain and persistent In the so called wig-wag instruments whereinthe vibration-of the vibratory element is produced by whipping it abouta stop, the length of'the element must be such as to occupy considerablespace. Moreover, nearly all of the vibratory elements havebeen'horizontal so that a'considerable lateral space is required. Inthose instruments wherein a pendulum 'formsthe oscillating element, thesuperstructure necessary to support the pendulum, occupies aconsiderable space; and furthermore'thependulum must-be ofconsiderablelength in order to'have the amplitude necessarytogivepositive operation and, as thexfrequency of oscillation of the pendulumdependsupon its length, high frequency of operation and positivenessof'operation are mutually antagonistic. V

According to the present invention, the vibratory element .is verticallyupstanding from the base and vvibrates'about'one end as acenter asdistinguished from'vibra'tion about a whipping stop as a center,.thelatter being the case with the twig-wag type of instrument. Preferablythe'end of the vibrator is securedto the base so that it vibrates fromthe base as a center. The vi.- brator is thrown laterally by springs sothat it is unnecessary for the vibrator itself to have any vibratoryspring action although it is desirablelthat the vibrator comprise springmaterial as well as flexibility for centering the device when it restsor for aiding the action of the extraneous lateral springs. Thisarrangement by proper adjustment, not only gives the desired frequency,butpermits of the use of a considerable weight i-norder to'givepersistentf and positive action, and also restricts the amplitude ofvibration within compact limits.

Another object of, .the'invention is to cushion the parts actuatedby theoperator so that the shock and jarattendant thereupon, are soreducedasto relieve thenerves of the operator from the nervous strain which mayfinally develop intotelegraphers cramp, and in any event the comfort ofthe operator is greatly promoted thereby.

Other and ancillary objects of the invention will appear-hereinafter.

WVhile the invention is realized to its fullest advantage-in structuresother than those of the wig-wag type as above ex plained, it may beembodied in structures of the type mentioned with improved results.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention Figure 1..isatop plan view of a. telegra h sender embodying'the invention;

ig. 2. is a front elevation;

Fig. 3. is a section on the line 8 3 of Fig.1.

Fig. 4.-.is a bottom plan view;

Fig. '5. is a side elevation;

Fig.6. is a side elevation on an enlarged scale of certainparts; and

Fig. 7 is an elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 6. in a planerenioved90 from the view ofFig. 6.

Referring to the drawings, the instrument comprises a hollow metal base1 supported on the rubber buttons 2 and carrying the binding posts 3 and4 to which the line wires 5'and 6 are connected. The post 3 is insulatedfrom the base while the post 4; r

is not. The post 3 is connected by an insulated wire 6 with the switcharm 7 which is pivotedon but insulated from the base and adapted to bemoved into and out of engagement with a stud 8 mounted on, and inelectrical contact with the base. When, therefore, the switch arm is incontact with the stud, a connection is formed directly between the posts3 and 4 through the base, and when the arm is out of contact with thestud this connection is broken.

The post 3 is also connected by an insulatedconductor 9 with the frameof the transmitter mechanism comprising the U 'tude of the vibrationwithin restricted shaped member 10 supported on the posts 11, 12 and 13which are insulated from the base. I

The vibrator for sending the dots, comprises a weight 14 supported atthe upper end of a flat steel spring 15 to which it is fixed, the lowerend of the spring being fixed to the base. The length of the springbetween thev base and the weight which is available for fiexure may bevaried and therefore the period of vibration may be varied by means of amember 16 which engages with the sides of the spring and may beslid'along the same, being fixed to the weight 14 in any desiredposition of adjustment by means of a screw 17 passing through a slot 18into the weight 14. The member 16' engages in a slot 19 in the weight 14so that it is properly guided during adjustment and held immovable whenthe screw 17 is tightened.

The vibrator carries a contact 20 mounted on a flat spring 21 andadapted to move into and out of engagement with the adjustable contact22 on the member 10, to send dots, as the vibrator moves to and fro.

On the side of the weight 14 opposite the contact 20 is secured a fiatspring 23 adapted to come against the adjustable stop 24 on the member10. This stop has an end 25 of insulation to prevent electricalconnection being made between the base and the member 10 through thespring 23. As the vibrator moves toward the stop 24 from its centralposition, power is stored in the spring 23 which, at the end of thestroke, gives the vibrator an impetus in the opposite direction.Similarly, the spring 21 cushions the vibrator at the end of its strokeat the other end of its swing and gives it a return impetus. By thisarrangement the p ositiveness and persistence of a vibrator having aconsiderable weight may be employed and the desired frequency obtainedwhile at the same time holding the amplilimits.

Normally the vibrator is held at one side ofits central position bymeans of a finger 25 fixed to the vibrator and carrying an adjustablescrew 26 bearing against the arm 1 2'7 pivoted at 28 on a lug 29 fixedto the base.

The upper end of the arm against which the screw 26 bears isnormallypressed against the screw by a flat spring 29 which secured to the armand bears against the insulated end of an adjustable screw 30 mounted inthe post 11. The arm is turned on its pivot by having its lower endextending through an opening in the base and within a yoke 31 formed ina key lever 32 on the under side of'the base and pivoted thereto at 33'.The

key lever extends through a slot in the front of the base and terminatesin a finger piece 34. By'pushin g the finger piece to the right (Figs. 1and 2) the bottom end of the arm 27 is drawn in the same direction,throwing the rubber buffer 35 fixed to the upper end of the arm,againstthe adjustable stop screw j The dash contacts are made by the contact 737 coming against the adjustables'crew 38 supported in the post 13. Thiscontact 57 is flexible so as to give when it comes against the screw 38,and is backed by a rubber buffer 39'. The contact 37 and the buffer aremounted on the upper end of an arm 4t) pivoted to thelug 29 at 41 andhaving its lower end extending through the'base and within the yoke 31.The arm is normally held in the position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 by aflat spring 42 secured thereto and bearing against the insulated end ofan adjustable screw 4-3 mounted in the post 13. Then the finger piece ismoved to the left.

(Figs. land 2), the lower end of the arm 40' is drawn in the samedirection and the contact 37 is thrown against the contact 38, thiscontact being maintained so long as the finger piece is pressed to theleft.

WVhile the invention has been'illustrated in what is considered itsbestapplication, it may have other embodiments without departing from itsspirit and so is not limited to the structures shown in the drawings.

What I claim is V r j 1. In a telegraph sender, the combination with abase, of a vibratory member secured to the base andextending upwardlytherefrom,rcontacts controlled by said vibrator and .a finger levermovable parallel to said base and operatively related to saidvibrator.

2. In a' telegraph sender, the combination with a base, of a springsecured to said base at one end and extending upwardly therefrom, aweight carried by said spring, contacts controlled by the vibratorymovement of said weight and a finger lever movable parallel to saidbaseand operatively related to saidvibrator.

3. In a telegraphsender, the combination with abase, of a vibratorymember extending upwardly therefrom, said vibrator vibrating aboutone ofits ends as a center, contacts controlled by said vibrator anda fingerlever movable parallel to said base and o eratively related to saidvibrator.

4. n a telegraph sender, the combination with abase, of a vibratorsecured thereto and extending upwardly therefrom, said vibrator.vibrating about its junction with said base as a center, contactscontrolled by said vibrator and a finger lever movable parallel to saidbase and'operatively related to said vibrator.

5. In a telegraph sender, the combination with a base, of a vibratorymember comprising a spring secured at one end to the base and a weightcarried by said spring, said vibrator vibrating about the junction ofsaid spring and said base as a center, a spring at each side of saidweight cushioning said vibrator at the ends of its strokes and impartingreturn impetus thereto, dot sending contacts controlled by saidvibrator, a lever extending substantially parallel to said vibrator andcontrolling the same, dash contacts supported by said base, a leversubstantially parallel to the aforesaid lever controlling said dashcontacts, and a finger lever substantially parallel to said base andoperating the aforesaid levers.

6. In a telegraph sender, the combination with a vibrator, of contactscontrolled thereby for sending dots, contacts for sending dashes, a keylever controlling the said vibrator and the said dash contacts andresilient means for receiving the impact upon the operation of said keylever when sending either dots or dashes, whereby the jar upon the handof the operator is lessened.

7. In a telegraph sender, the combination with a base, of a vibratorymember thereon, springs on each side of said member, one of said springsacting as a cushion between said member and said base but makinginsulated engagement therewith, electrical connection a beingalternately made and broken through the other of said springs as saidmember vibrates.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification this QOthday ofMarch, 1917.

THOMAS J. DUNN.

